Collaborations
Community outreach and engagement advisory board
Community Advisory Board (CAB) of the UF Health Cancer Center's (UFHCC) Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (This image was taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and physical distancing.)
The UF Health Cancer Center Community Outreach & Engagement Advisory Board (CAB) is a committed group of community experts who gather in the spirit of building equitable partnerships and infusing a community perspective into our cancer research agenda. Using a community-engaged research process, advisory board members meet and openly discuss cancer-related issues faced by residents of our 23-county catchment area.
The CAB continues playing a vital role in collaborating with our leadership team, program directors and cancer center members to ensure that our work focuses on cancer-related issues that are critical to the communities we serve. The CAB has been especially instrumental in the development of the Catchment Area Profile report and Project CONTINUITY: CONnecTing hIgh risk aNd Underserved Individuals To care in the communitY.
Community Outreach and Engagement Advisory Board Members
Chair: Sue Colson – Cedar Key (Levy County) City Commissioner
Shirley Bloodworth – Citizen Scientist
Amy Bucciarelli, M.S., ATR-BC – UF Arts in Medicine
Ann Walsh Collett – Parent and community advocate
Linda Cottler, Ph.D., M.P.H., FACE – Professor, UF Department of Epidemiology; UF HealthStreet
Jeff Feller, MSISE – CEO, Well Florida Council, North Central Florida Cancer Control Collaborative
Jeri Francoeur – Board Member/Advocacy Chair, Florida Breast Cancer Foundation
Harriette Hudson – Chair of Sisters Alive, an African American Advisory Board to the American Cancer Society
Robert Houlihan, DHA, MBA, FACHE — Associate Director for Administration, UF Health Cancer Center
Francis Knight – Member of Sisters Alive, an African American Advisory Board to the American Cancer Society
Robin Lewy, M.A. – Director of Programming, Rural Women’s Health Project
Jennifer McKathan — Cancer Control Strategic Partnerships Manager, American Cancer Society, Inc.
Rick Medina – Climb for Cancer board member
Barbara Richardson, Ph.D. – Area Health Education Center
Kendra Siler-Marsiglio, Ph.D. – Rural Health Partnership of North Central Florida, Inc.
Terry Weber – Survivors for Research
Cancer Center Leadership Council
CCLC Members (This image was taken prior to national guidelines of face coverings and physical distancing.)
The UF Health Cancer Center Leadership Council is responsible for increasing public awareness of the center’s mission. Made up of approximately 20 volunteers from the local community, as well as Sarasota and Orlando, in addition to foundations that support the UFHCC such as Climb for Cancer, Stop Children’s Cancer and the Ocala Royal Dames for Cancer Research, the members of the UFHCC Leadership Council are advocates for the center, hosting events and providing opportunities for faculty to interact with the public. In raising awareness, the council’s mission dovetails with the UF Health Cancer Center Office of Development’s efforts to secure philanthropic support through service and stewardship to donors, patients and the entire community.
Cancer Center Leadership Council Members
Connie Brown
Ileana Canizares
Susan DiNatale
Chuck DiNatale
Ronald Farb
Dianna Farb
Howard Freeman
Laurel Freeman
Ivan Gonzalez
Anna Gonzalez
Stacey Hayes
James Islam
Sharon Jank
Mark Jank
DeeDee Smith
Rod Smith
Development Partners
By fostering philanthropic investment, the UF Health Cancer Center Office of Development supports the center in its mission of advancing cancer research, education and patient care. The Office of Development focuses on individual philanthropy, working with University of Florida alumni, private foundations and corporations, friends of the center and grateful patients. They also work with both university and community partners, such as the Cancer Center Leadership Council and local nonprofit organizations, on awareness and fundraising events.
The Climb for Cancer Foundation was founded in 2003 by Ron and Dianne Farb, following Ron’s sister’s breast cancer diagnosis. Today, this nonprofit organizes group climbs around the world, on summits such as Kilimanjaro, to raise funds for patient-focused initiatives at UF Health. To date, Climb for Cancer has raised more than $1.5 million. In 2020, Climb for Cancer has awarded more than $100,000 to UF Health researchers and programs Included in Climb for Cancer 2020 funding was support for Project CONTINUITY (CONnecTing hIgh risk aNd Underserved Individuals To care in the community), led by Dr. Betsy Shenkman.
The Ocala Royal Dames’ mission is to support educational programs and activities that promote, enhance and further cancer research and education on a local and regional level. Comprising more than 240 women from the local community, the Dames host a number of events throughout the year to fund their philanthropic mission, including the Tiara Ball. To date, the Dames have provided more than $1.5 million in research support to UF, as well as support for continuing medical education for residents and clinicians.
Founded in 2016 by Barb Thomas and Terry Weber, both breast cancer survivors, the primary mission of Survivors for Research is to raise funds to provide opportunities for research, education and service to enhance the lives of those affected by triple-negative breast cancer. Through events such as their annual Tea for a Cure and Party on the Patio, Survivors for Research has invested $20,000 in cancer research at the UF Health Cancer Center.
Founded in 1981 by Howard and Laurel Freeman, Stop Children’s Cancer began as the vision of their daughter, Bonnie, to raise $1 million to end children’s cancer. Thirty-seven years and more than $8 million later, Stop Children’s Cancer has been an integral part of bringing clinical trials to the UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital and the UF Health Cancer Center.
